


Eight Days | Frankie "Catfish" Morales x GenderNeutral!Reader

by djndjarin



Category: Frankie "Catfish" Morales - Fandom, Pedro Pascal - Fandom, Triple Frontier (2019), frankie morales - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Cocaine Use, Death, Discussion of Adoption, Drug Use, Guilt, Hurt, Major character death - Freeform, Marriage, Mentions of Food/Drinks, Mentions of Sex, Mentions of alcohol, Mentions of cocaine, Multi, Nightmares, Relapse, Some Fluff, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:00:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26273749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/djndjarin/pseuds/djndjarin
Summary: Reader remembers some of the most important days of her life have been spent by Frankie’s side.
Relationships: Frankie Morales/GenderNeutral!Reader, Frankie Morales/You, frankie morales/reader
Comments: 3
Kudos: 10





	1. Stay

**Author's Note:**

> NOTE: Italics in this story signify memories, they are not in present time.
> 
> Also available on Tumblr, here. https://flyingovertheandes.tumblr.com/post/627766248841805824/masterlist  
> Tumblr: flyingovertheandes

You were finally going home. It had only been days, but even hours away from Frankie made your chest feel tight, especially when you stopped to think about what he was going through.

_“Frankie?” You already felt the tears well up in your eyes at the sight you’d come home to._

_Frankie was leaned over the coffee table, white powder under him arranged into thin little lines._

_You could see his face lose color the instant he saw you. He rushed from his seat to your side in an instant and tried to stop you from opening the door and walking back out._

_“Baby, this isn’t what it looks like. I-” He tried._

_“You what? You’ve been using again and you thought I wouldn’t find out? God, Frankie! How long has it been?”_

_He stayed silent._

_“Frankie!” You shouted._

_“A couple weeks! Okay? Just a couple weeks since I…” His voice was quiet._

_“Just a couple weeks? And you never thought to come to me for help?” You cried._

_“Baby, it’s not that easy.” He tried to tell you._

_“Whatever, Frankie. I’m leaving.” You turned around to open the door but he held it shut._

_“No! Please.. No. Don’t go. I need you, Y/N.” His voice broke._

_“You had me, Frankie. That’s the worst part. You had me and now you don’t.” You wiped the tears from your eyes and tried to open the door, failing to overpower him._

_“Stay, please. I’ll make it up to you.” He said, giving in and letting go of the door to hold your shoulders._

_“Goodbye, Frankie.” You breathed before walking back out to your car, leaving him in the open doorway._

_“Fuck!” You heard Frankie scream as he slammed the door shut._

_You wouldn’t know it, but he punched a hole through the wall that night, flipped the coffee table, and got rid of anything he had left. Now that he had lost you, nothing made sense anymore. He couldn’t bear to be in your shared home knowing he hurt you._

You were at a stop light when you felt your eyes start to water. Frankie. He was your whole world. Even though you hadn’t been together from the start, he’d had your heart since the moment you met. It was only a matter of time until he found that out himself. It had all started on that trip Pope made you all take two winters ago.

_You didn’t know why you had agreed to carpool with Frankie. You should have known his truck was never going to make the drive over the mountains and to the campsite where you and the guys were all planning to stay._

_“Fuck!” Frankie groaned as he pulled over to the side of the road._

_He jumped out of the truck and popped the hood, releasing a plume of smoke from underneath it. You jumped out behind him, eager to find a way to help._

_“What’s wrong with it?” You asked, walking up to him delicately._

_He was leaning over the engine, inspecting something closely with his phone flashlight._

_“I think the oil’s leaking again. It’s happened before.” He sighed._

_The sun was already setting over the horizon and the likelihood that anyone would be willing to come help was small._

_“What should we do? I think I saw a motel a town or two back, at least it’s something. I don’t want to be stuck out here in the truck all night.” You hugged your arms close to your chest. It was a lot colder in the mountains than where you’d driven up from in the valley._

_“Yeah, we could try that.” Frankie said while removing his flannel jacket._

_You were confused until he passed it to you._

_“What?” You asked him._

_“Put it on. You’ll catch a cold out here!” He told you._

_“Frankie… I could just go in the truck and grab my jacket. You didn’t need to.” You tried passing it back to him._

_He shook his head._

_You sighed before slipping into it. It was so warm and it felt like heaven. It even smelled like him too._

_“Thank you.” You said quietly._

_“No problem.” He smiled._

_It was a while before you were able to get someone to stop and give you guys a ride to the nearest motel. By the time you made it there, the sun was long gone and the stars were now prominent in the sky. Your cell service had finally come back as well and you knew the guys were probably wondering where the hell you two were._

_“You want to call Pope while I get us the rooms?” You asked Frankie._

_“I don’t want you going in there alone! We’re in the middle of nowhere! I’m going with you.” He told you bravely._

_You didn’t know it, but it broke his heart to heart you say rooms, plural. He didn’t want to be away from you._

_You on the other hand, felt your heart flutter at his protectiveness. He’d always been like that around you, more than any of the other guys. You thought it was just because he saw you as a younger sister he needed to protect from anything and everything. But it was nothing like that._

_The two of you walked inside the motel you’d been dropped off at and waited for someone to come to the desk. Frankie even got impatient and rang the little bell on the desk a time or two._

_“Frankie! Stop it!” You laughed, smacking his hand away from the bell._

_He jokingly smirked before laughing. He really just wanted to see you smile._

_“Hello!” An older lady emerged from a back room. “How can I help you?”_

_Frankie took charge and explained that they needed two rooms for the night. It secretly killed him to say it._

_“I’m sorry, sir. We only have one room available right now.” The lady apologized._

_You spoke up then. “That’s fine! We’ll take it!” You smiled kindly._

_Frankie felt like his heart was about to jump out of his chest._

_-_

_As the two of you walked into your room, Frankie felt his breath hitch in his throat. There was only one bed._

_Sure, the two of you had fallen asleep on the couch at his house together a handful of times, but nothing had ever been like this. You had never shared a bed. Never been so close to each other for such a long period of time._

_“Well…” You said. “You can take the bed, I’ll sleep on the floor.”_

_Frankie felt his heart drop into his stomach._

_“No! No way, Y/N. I’m not letting you sleep on some dirty motel floor. You take the bed, I’ll sleep over there.” He pointed to a small, worn down chair in the corner of the room._

_“Frankie, don’t be insane. You’ve been driving all day, you need a good night’s rest.” You argued._

_“So do you!” He ran his hand through his hair he’d just let out of his hat._

_“I mean… I don’t mind sharing the bed, as long as you’re okay with it.” You admitted._

_He tried to keep his face from lighting up._

_“Of course I’m fine with it. We’ve been best friends for years… what’s sharing a bed?”_

_“Good.” You smiled before making your way into the bathroom to change into your pajamas._

_Frankie took this chance to call Pope and tell him about the situation. He picked up almost immediately._

_“Fish! Where the hell are you guys? We’ve been worried sick!” He could hear the guys partying in the background._

_“We got stuck on St. Agnes, man! The truck died on us. We’re staying in a motel tonight, but we’ll try to be there by sun down tomorrow.” He told him._

_“You and Y/N staying in a motel? You sharin’ a room?” Pope joked._

_He stayed silent, trying to keep himself composed._

_“No way! You are! Guys! Y/N and Fish are sharing a room!” He shouted to the group._

_Frankie facepalmed as he heard the cheers._

_They all knew how he felt. Hell, he’d been in love with her since she walked into his life seven years ago._

_He was pulled from his thoughts when he heard you exiting the bathroom. He decided to end the phone call while he was still ahead._

_“Alright, Pope. I’ll see you tomorrow, buddy.” He told him._

_Pope was still drunk and cheering on the other line, so Frankie just hung up before you could hear._

_“What’d Pope say?” You asked him._

_“Not much. They seem to have started the party without us.” He told you, sitting down on the edge of the bed._

_“Damn.” You cursed._

_“Luckily…” You started. “We can have a little party of our own.” You told him before walking over to your bag on the bedside table._

_Frankie remained quiet, unsure of what to expect from you._

_You turned around excitedly, holding a flask bigger than your hand._

_All he could do was laugh._

_“You brought Whiskey?” He asked._

_“Of course! I was going to share it with everyone, but since they started without us… Fuck ‘em.” You took two long drinks._

_Frankie fell back onto the bed, amused by your actions._

_“Here!” You giggled, passing him the flask and flopping down next to him on the large bed._

_He debated for a long second before taking a swig from the flask. He winced at the taste and you laughed._

_“What?” He laughed as he rolled over to face you. Admire you._

_“You hate Whiskey, but you always drink it for me.” You smiled._

_Did he? If he did, he never realized._

_“It’s not my favorite, but…” He went to admit something, but nothing came out._

_“But? You just love me so much you’re willing to drink anything?” You joked._

_If only you knew._

_He fell silent. You both did._

_You were convinced he’d fallen asleep. After all, you were both recovering from a long day of driving._

_“Frankie?” You asked, your voice quiet._

_“Y/N?” He responded, his eyes opening to meet yours._

_“I think… I love you.” You whispered._

_He thought he was dreaming._

_“Y/N, you’re drunk.” He tried, though it broke his heart to say it out loud. But he was right, it never did take much for you to get drunk. Two or three shots and all you wanted was his attention._

_“Frankie…” You tried again._

_“C’mon, let’s try and sleep, okay?” He sat up and made his way over to the door, locking it and flipping the light switch._

_You rolled over and got under the covers on the right side of the bed._

_You knew Frankie always slept on the left._

_The bed dipped as he climbed in next to you, two feet of space between them and their backs to each other._

_“Goodnight, Y/N.” He said, hoping you weren’t upset with him._

_You pretended to already be asleep, carefully and quietly wiping the tears from your eyes._


	2. Anchor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader remembers the day that started it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: Italics in this story signify memories, they are not in present time.
> 
> Also available on Tumblr, here. https://flyingovertheandes.tumblr.com/post/627766248841805824/masterlist  
> Tumblr: flyingovertheandes

You hadn’t realized the stoplight had turned green until the car behind you had honked excessively to pull you out of your thoughts. You quickly began driving again as you thought about the rest of your history with Frankie. You remembered how awkward that next morning at the motel was. Though, Frankie tried his best to keep things somewhat normal.

_He had woken up a quarter to seven and decided to sneak out of the room for breakfast before you could wake up. And when you did, to an empty room, your heart felt heavy in your chest. Though, it wasn’t long before Frankie came stumbling back into the room holding a small coffee cup and a brown paper bag. When he finally noticed you were awake, he gave you a nervous look._

_“Good morning,” He muttered._

_You smiled weakly as he handed you the paper bag he was holding. Inside was a small bottle of orange juice and a blueberry muffin._

_“Thank you, Frankie.” You told him, warmed by the gesture._

_The two of you shared no other words as Frankie called the towing company and figured out something for the truck. It was almost 2PM by the time you were back on the road. The drive was silent. The only sound that could be heard was Frankie tapping on the steering wheel to the low music playing from the radio. But it wasn’t long until he had to stop for gas and coffee. He got out to pump the gas before appearing at your open window, hanging his head inside, but still giving you space._

_“You want anything from inside?” He attempted to break the ice between you._

_You shrugged in response._

_“Are you hungry?” He asked._

_“A little.” You admitted quietly._

_He adjusted his cap and winced his eyes at the bright sun above him._

_“I got you.” He reassured you before walking towards the small convenience store._

_It must have been over five minutes later when he emerged with what looked like a bag full of snacks. You couldn’t help but let a smile come across your face as he jumped back in the truck. He rested the bag between you and smiled when he noticed you were smiling too._

_“So, I didn’t know what you were in the mood for, and I figured that we’ll be out of stores reach for a couple of days, so I just kind of… got all of your favorites.” He admitted before laughing somewhat hysterically along with you._

_You tried to stifle your laughter as he opened the bag and pulled out your favorite coffee, soda, energy drink, spicy chip, candy, second favorite candy, and sweet from the pastries section._

_“Frankie!” You swatted his arm._

_“What? I wanted to put a smile on your face!” He told you, neatly packing it all back into the bag._

_“Wait! I want the coffee!” You admitted, making grabby hands in the direction of the bag that was out of your reach from where you were leaning against the door._

_He happily pulled it out of the bag and held it out for you to take, but your fingers happened to graze each other as your eyes met. You quickly grabbed the coffee and redirected your gaze, thanking him. He nodded awkwardly before climbing out of the truck to finish pumping the gas before getting back on the road once again. It was a while before either of you spoke._

_“If you’re hungry for real food, there’s a diner about forty miles from here, unless you’d rather wait for dinner tonight at camp.”_

_“And eat Ben’s cooking? I don’t think so.” You joked._

_Frankie’s laugh filled your ears._

_“For once, I think you’re right.” He told you._

_You shot him a glare only to be met with a wink._

_-_

_As you walked up to the diner, Frankie walked ahead of you and opened the door for you. You could feel your cheeks heat up at the sentiment._

_“Thank you.” You smiled._

_The two of you were quickly seated at a small corner booth, up against a window that allowed a view of the mountains surrounding you. There was a silence between the two of you as you looked over the menus._

_“So, uhm, what are you thinking of getting?” You finally spoke._

_His eyes continued to scan the menu as he replied, “I’m not sure. There’s so much coffee in my system, I’m not all that hungry.”_

_“Yeah.” You nodded quietly._

_“Do you want to share something?” You questioned._

_“Sure! Yeah. Waffles…?” He questioned back, knowing they were your favorite._

_You smiled._

_“With strawberries…?” You smirked._

_He laughed heartily as he closed the menu._

_“Of course! I would never expect anything less.” He smiled at you._

_When the young waitress came to take your orders, Frankie ordered for the two of you, getting an ice water for himself and confidently guessing that you wanted another orange juice this morning, to which you laughed. He was always right. But after the waitress walked away, you felt like you had to be the one to bring up the night before._

_“Frankie, can we talk about last night?”_

_“Y/N...Please” He pleaded, letting his fall forward into his hands._

_“Frankie! You can’t ignore what I said.” You attempted, trying to keep your voice low in the quiet diner._

_“I’m not ignoring you, Y/N!” He removed his hat again and ran his hand through his hair._

_“Then what? You just don’t want me to love you? You don’t love me back? Which one is it, Frankie!?” You cried._

_He threw his hat down on the table and rubbed his temple angrily._

_“Damn it, Y/N! I’m afraid that if I let myself believe what you said, I’ll just end up getting hurt!” He raised his voice._

_The few people who were seated around you looked at you judgmentally, so he lowered his voice for what he had to say next._

_“I’m afraid- If I let myself love you, you’ll realize that you deserve better than me. You’ll- you’ll realize that and then you’ll leave me. I can’t lose you, Y/N. You mean too much to me.” He cried, his voice wavering._

_You rested your hand in his that was between the two of you on the table._

_“Frankie…”_

_Before you could continue, the waitress returned with your drinks. Frankie quickly wiped his tears on his shirtsleeve and thanked her._

_“Just- forget it. We’ll talk about it later.” He promised._

_You knew there wasn’t going to be any talking about it “later”._

_-_

_“Fish! Y/N! About damn time you two showed up!” Benny cheered as he wrapped his arms around the both of you._

_You were both hoping deep down that none of the guys noticed the tension between you._

_“Y/N!” Pope shouted from his seat around the campfire. He jumped up and wrapped his arms around you, lifting you up and spinning you around._

_Deep down, it killed Frankie to see Pope treat you like that. He knew you deserved it, but he wanted to be the one to give it to you._

_“Come sit down guys! Grab a beer!” Will invited as he threw a new log into the growing fire._

_-_

_The sun was setting and dinner had come and gone, and now the boys were being their usual rowdy selves as they filled their bodies with beer._

_“Hey! Y/N! You okay over there? You’re being awful quiet tonight. You’ve barely touched your beer.” Pope pointed out._

_Pressure rose in your chest as all the guys brought their attention to you, concerned. You could only manage to meet eyes with Frankie._

_“I’m alright, my stomach is just being weird. I think I’m gonna head to bed, actually.” You said, standing up._

_“No!” The guys pouted._

_“I’m sorry, guys. I promise I’ll be more lively tomorrow.” You joked._

_They all waved you off and you began the short walk to your tent. Pope of course had forgotten one of the tents, so you were forced to share one with Frankie, just your luck. The only reason Pope refused to share one was because he demanded a tent for himself since he needed the most room. You didn’t dare to question it._

_You were almost to your tent when you heard a branch snap behind you. You turned around quickly, in fear, to be met with Frankie running right into you._

_“Fuck! Jesus Christ, Frankie! Are you trying to kill me?” You whisper-shouted, not wanting to wake any other campers nearby._

_“Sorry. I just came to see if you were okay. Will you be alright in the tent by yourself? I can come with you.”_

_“No, Frankie. I just want to be alone. Just please- leave me alone, okay?” You pleaded before walking off._

_Frankie removed his hat and ran his hand through his hair, he was lost without you. He’d lost you in less than a day. It was all his fault._

_“Fish! You alright?” Pope shouted, clearly not caring for his volume._

_“Yeah!” He said, walking back towards the group._

_“Fuck this.” He muttered to himself._

_-_

_“Hey, Fish? Why not slow down a little, yeah?” Benny suggested._

_Frankie had downed over six beers in under two hours. He’d also smoked the majority of a blunt that was getting passed around the circle. Needless to say, he was gone for the night. He thought maybe it was better that way._

_-_

_“Pope? Pope! Hey, man. Dime algo/Tell me something… If Y/N has feelings for me, why wait until now to tell me, huh? It’s been almost eight years! I’ve waited eight years for them! And now… no se/I don’t know, Pope. What am I supposed to do?” Frankie whined, louder than Pope thought was necessary._

_“Fish, hey man, quiet down. They’ll hear you if you talk too loud.” Pope tried to warn him._

_“I don’t care, man! I just want them to know how much they mean to me. They've been my god damn anchor since they came into our lives. Everything I do, I do for them. I’m clean because of them, Pope. There’s no one like them. There’s no one fucking like them and I probably just lost them for good.” Frankie threw his beer can into the fire, igniting it even more._

_“Woah, hey! None of that, okay? They told you they love you, man. It’s up to you to let yourself be happy and get the love you deserve.” He reassured him, a hand on his shoulder._

_“But-” Frankie tried._

_“No buts, okay? You’re cut off for the night. Go get some rest and tomorrow you can talk to them, when you’re sober.” He told him, standing up and offering him a hand._

_He took his hand and followed as he led him to his shared tent with you._

_“Alright now, be quiet. Don’t wake Y/N, okay?” Pope asked._

_Frankie nodded and turned to the tent before Pope called for his attention again._

_“Cuidate, hermano./Take care of yourself, brother.” He reminded him with a small smile._

_Frankie returned the smile and brought him in for a hug._

_Thank god he hadn’t gotten fucked up alone._

_Once he shuffled into the tent and out of his day clothes, he made his way into the sleeping bag laid next to yours. He laid on his back and looked up at the peak of the tent, wondering what you were dreaming about._

_“Y/N… I’m sorry. I’m sorry for not believing you, for not believing that you really love me. I just- you’re too good for me, you know? You deserve someone good. You deserve someone who doesn’t wait eight years to tell you they love you…” He stopped, hearing you shuffle._

_Before he knew it, you were facing him, with your hands cupping his cheeks lightly._

_“Y/N…You- you weren’t supposed to-”_

_Your lips crashed onto his before he had a chance to finish. You’d waited years to hear him say those words. And it seemed like minutes before you could pull away to finally meet his eyes again._

_“I love you too, Frankie.”_


	3. I Don't Love You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader remembers one of her last phone calls with Frankie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: Italics in this story signify memories, they are not in present time.
> 
> Also available on Tumblr, here. https://flyingovertheandes.tumblr.com/post/627766248841805824/masterlist  
> Tumblr: flyingovertheandes

There was no one on the highway this late at night. It was almost midnight and it was eerie to be alone on the long stretch of road. You wished Frankie was by your side. If he were, he’d be making a joke about how tough he is and promising you he could protect you from anything. You’d always believed his promises. He never ever broke a promise. And he had promised you he was done using, which ended up being the only promise he couldn’t keep.

_“Baby, please call me back. I can explain. Please- give me a chance. I love you. You know I never meant to do this...Please, Y/N…” He pleaded._

_It was the 22nd voicemail in the last week. You weren’t taking his calls anymore, you didn’t think the effort was worth it. The next time your phone rang, you expected to see his name again, but to your surprise, it was Santi. Another call...Declined._

_“Y/N...Hey...I’ve been talking to Fish-uh-Frankie...He really needs you, Y/N...Please...Give him a chance...He’ll make it up to you. Hasn’t he always? Just please…” He begged in Frankie’s place._

_It hurt you to hear their voices. They were your family. Santi was like a brother to you and you had to wonder... Did he know? Did he know that Frankie was using again? You had to know._

_He picked up on the first ring._

_“Y/N...Hey, I didn’t think I’d hear back from you.” He admitted._

_“I didn’t either…If I’m being honest.” You told him boldly._

_“Have you talked to Frankie?” He asked cautiously._

_“No...And I don’t plan to...So don’t try and convince me.” You reminded him, even if it hurt._

_“Y/N... “_

_“No, Pope! Okay? I’m not calling him. And what about you? Did you know this whole time? Did he tell you he was using again?” You felt anger boiling in your veins._

_“No! Of course not! If I knew I would have told you, I would have gotten him help!” Pope shouted, clearly hurt._

_“Okay... I just want him to be okay, Pope. I wanted to help him. How can I help him when he wont tell me what he’s going through?”_

_“Just talk to him, please. I don’t know what he’s going through either but it has to be bad if he started using again. He needs you… You’re his anchor, you know?” He reminded you._

_You felt your heart pull and tears well at your eyes._

_“I know.” You said._

_“Let me know how it goes, yeah?” He asked._

_“I will. Thank you, Santi.” You thanked him._

_“Of course. Te quiero, hermana/hermano/I love you, sister/brother.” He spoke._

_“I love you too. Talk to you later.” You promised._

_Part of you was dreading calling Frankie. It wasn’t that you hadn’t forgiven him, you were just upset that he didn’t come to you the second he felt himself slipping. You were supposed to be his person, his anchor. You were surprised when he didn’t answer immediately._

_“Y/N…” His voice was low, tired sounding._

_“Frankie… Did I wake you?” You asked, feeling guilty._

_“No....Uh, you didn’t. I haven’t really been- um- sleeping lately?”He admitted._

_You could imagine how bad he had gotten._

_“Oh. Well, how are you? Have you been okay?” You were concerned._

_He scoffed and half-heartedly laughed as best as he could with the energy he had and replied._

_“I’ve been better, baby.” He made your heart skip._

_“I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have left you… Not without making sure you were okay.” You felt your eyes well with tears, you felt so guilty._

_You tried to hide your sob._

_“Baby… It’s okay. I-I’m okay. I just want you to come home...”_

_“Frankie...I can’t. I can’t come home until you get better.” You shook your head, though he couldn’t see you._

_“Y/N…” He sighed._

_“No. Don’t. I’m serious, Frankie. I can’t- I can’t do this anymore! I can’t just sit here and watch you destroy yourself every six months when shit gets bad, okay? You leave me in the dark and then expect me to pick up the pieces! I don’t want to do it anymore… I can’t. I just. I don’t love you when you’re like this. You’re not the Frankie I fell in love with when you’re using. You’re not my Frankie.” You didn’t think you had ever cried this hard._

_The line was silent._

_“Baby.. You don’t mean that.” He sounded like he was begging you to say you were kidding, that you’d be home soon._

_“I do. I’m not coming home until I know you’re better. I’m sorry. Goodbye, Frankie.” You hung up before you could hear him continue._

_You didn’t know when you’d ever go home. You weren’t sure he’d ever be able to stay clean. You just knew it was one or the other. You or the drugs. It hurt you that you weren’t sure he’d pick you._


	4. All I Want

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frankie remembers the night he finally got through to you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: Italics in this story signify memories, they are not in present time.
> 
> Also available on Tumblr, here. https://flyingovertheandes.tumblr.com/post/627766248841805824/masterlist  
> Tumblr: flyingovertheandes

All he wanted was to feel them again. Feel their soft skin against his and their sweet smile tug at his heart. Nothing compared to the feeling. He’d spent almost every night alone since they’d left. There was no one else that wanted him. At least, not anyone who wanted him for him.

_The night they finally returned his calls, he was laying in bed in nothing but his boxers. He was feeling guilt heavy on his chest as he saw their name appear on his phone._

_“Sorry.. I gotta- uhm- take this.” He said, getting out of bed and walking out into the living room._

_“Y/N…” He said, meaning to sound relieved, but sounding more tired than anything._

_“Frankie…” His heart skipped a beat hearing his name come from them._

_“Did I wake you?” They sounded concerned, like they regretted calling._

_“No… Uh, you didn’t. I haven’t really been- um- sleeping lately? He told the truth._

_He spent most of his days high, in bed, at parties, or passed out on someone’s couch- somewhere other than home. He couldn’t stand to be home. All it did was remind him of everything he did wrong. Everything that drove them away._

_Truth is, that first night they walked in on him, he hadn’t used yet. He’d kept his clean streak of a year and some change. It wasn’t until after they left that he really hit rock bottom. He thought that was the end. Hell, maybe he wanted it to be the end for him. He’d considered all the possibilities, all the ways this could end, all the ways it could -maybe- get better. He didn’t know if he could handle the rollercoaster of emotions anymore. His high highs and low lows were going to kill him one day, he knew that much. It was just a matter of how long it would be before that happened._

_“Oh. Well, how are you? Have you been okay?” He heard the concern in their voice. It made his chest hurt to know they still cared._

_He’d fucked everything up beyond repair this time, he thought. They shouldn’t waste their time caring about him anymore._

_All he could do was scoff and laugh quietly. “I’ve been better, baby.”_

_Baby. That name had always been reserved for just the two of them._

_“I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have left you… Not without making sure you were okay.” They sobbed._

_It was his fault. Everything was his fault. He was the reason behind those tears and he knew they wouldn’t be the last that were his fault too._

_“Baby…” He felt like he should stop himself. “It’s okay. I-I’m okay. I just want you to come home…”_

_Imagine that. What would he have done if they said yes? Thrown out all the drugs in his bedside drawer? Snuck his dealer out through the back door? Lit candles to cover the lingering scent of her perfume and sex? He’d have been in a world of trouble._

_“Frankie… I can’t. I can’t come home until you get better.” They cried._

_“Y/N…” He sighed, though part of him was relieved._

_“No. Don’t. I’m serious, Frankie. I can’t- I can’t do this anymore! I can’t just sit here and watch you destroy yourself every six months when shit gets bad, okay? You leave me in the dark and then expect me to pick up the pieces! I don’t want to do it anymore… I can’t. I just. I don’t love you when you’re like this. You’re not the Frankie I fell in love with when you’re using. You’re not my Frankie.” They admitted to him, breaking his heart._

_He stayed silent for what seemed like forever. Hell, he knew he had deserved to hear that. But to hear it from the one person he was staying alive for? What was the point after that?_

_“Baby… You don’t mean that.” He tried._

_“I do. I’m not coming home until I know you’re better. I’m sorry. Goodbye, Frankie.” They hung up before he could try to make them stay._

_“Wait! Y/N!” He practically shouted._

_“Fuck… Fuck!” He yelled, throwing his cell phone against the wall, shattering the screen._

_His dealer, Ris, emerged from -their- bedroom, frightened._

_“Frankie? Is everything okay, baby?” She asked him._

_He had forgotten he wasn’t alone. God, he was so focused on you that he had fucking forgotten about the woman he’d just slept with for the third time this week._

_He looked up at her, anger coursing through his veins._

_“Don’t, Ris. Okay? We can’t do this anymore. We should have never fucking done this!” He was pacing now, holding his head in his hands as his mind raced._

_She made her way back into the room silently to collect her things._

_“Fuck!” She heard again._

_He was unraveling. He had hit rock bottom and there was nowhere else for him to go. He was done for. This was his end, he thought._

_He looked up as Ris was trying her best to dress in the dimly lit room._

_“Get out…” He muttered. “Get out!”_

_His raised voice caused tears to well in her eyes. They’d been acquaintances since way before his time in the military. She’d been there for him through it all. Why had they ruined that?_

_She shuffled to the front door with her belongings as Frankie’s rough hands guided her roughly. Practically pushing her into the door, he muttered curse words to himself. And once he had gotten her outside, all the rage he’d ever held inside was unleashed._

_“Fuck! God, fuck you, Ris! Okay? You ruined my life! You always come back to ruin my life! I never want to see you again. Please… promise me I’ll never fucking see you again. I can’t do this anymore!” He slammed the door so hard he thought it would break._

_Before he knew it, he was on the floor, sobbing into his hands._

_This was the end._

_He never wanted to break another heart again. He never wanted to break -your- heart again._

_He may not have been sober all those times he slept with her, all those times he called, and he definitely wasn’t sober now. But no matter what, he was getting you back tonight._

_He pulled himself off the floor to retrieve his broken phone from the floor in the hallway. He had to hear your voice again. You were the only one that could ground him. But of course… You weren’t taking his calls._

_“Y/N… God, baby, I’m so sorry. Please… I need you, I- All I want is you, here, with me. Please call me back. I can’t do this without you. I-” He stopped._

_“ I don’t want to die alone…Please come home...”_

_Who knew… maybe he wouldn’t._


	5. Died In Your Arms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader remembers the day she came to Frankie’s rescue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: Italics in this story signify memories, they are not in present time.
> 
> Also available on Tumblr, here. https://flyingovertheandes.tumblr.com/post/627766248841805824/masterlist  
> Tumblr: flyingovertheandes

You were so lost in your thoughts, you had almost missed your turn off on the highway. You had passed your old neighborhood a few miles back and you couldn’t escape the memories that flooded your mind. You had lived in a small apartment there when you first met Frankie. Though, it wouldn’t be until years later when you lived in a different apartment -same neighborhood- that you two would start your romantic relationship. Soon after the camping trip that started it all, the apartment quickly became less of your apartment and more of your shared apartment. Frankie would stay over most nights of the week, claiming he felt more at peace when he was in your presence. He had his own drawers, bedside table, and even his own side of the closet. There were even his favorite books stacked next to his lamp with an empty coffee mug or two to accompany them. He always told you how he never wanted to leave. Though one day, he did. Which ended up being one of the most traumatic nights of his life, and boy, had he seen a lot in his life.

_The sound of your phone ringing startled you awake. Your room was still dark and the only light was coming from your illuminated phone. You rubbed your eyes and shuffled closer to your nightstand to see that Frankie was calling you. Your mind immediately filled with dread, expecting the worse. Last time you got a call in the middle of the night, it was from Santi, telling you that Frankie had relapsed, again. You quickly slid your thumb on the screen to answer the call and felt relieved when you heard Frankie’s voice._

_“Y/N? Baby?” He sounded worried and panicked, like he was short of breath._

_“I’m here, Frankie. What’s wrong? Are you okay?” You couldn’t help but ask a million questions, your mind was racing with possibilities as to why he’d be calling at 3AM._

_All you could hear was Frankie’s quiet sniffles on the other end of the line._

_“Baby… Talk to me. What happened?” You tried._

_“You- You died in my arms, Y/N. It was so real…” He explained._

_The nightmares, of course. He had them frequently, rarely ever about you, but this time he wasn’t as lucky. He had woken up alone, without you by his side, and immediately feared the worst. His nightmare was his reality._

_“Frankie...Baby, hey, I’m okay. You can hear me can’t you? Hear my voice? That’s real, Frankie. I’m alive. It wasn’t real.” You tried to reassure him._

_You knew he was listening, but he continued telling you about the dream like he hadn’t heard you at all._

_“You couldn’t breathe, you- you were coughing up blood. There was blood everywhere, baby. It was all over us. You were shot in the chest. All I could do was hold you and tell you that I loved you. I couldn’t stop telling you I loved you.” He sniffled, though trying his best to hide it._

_“Frankie... I’ll be right over, okay? Just get out of bed and get yourself some water and I’ll be there before you know it. Okay?” You promised him._

_“I love you, Y/N. I- You shouldn’t have to get out of bed at 3AM for me…” He said, feeling guilty._

_“Baby, I would get out of bed at any time of day for you. Any day of the week, and any day of the year. I love you and want to be there for you the way you’ve always been there for me okay? I’ll be there soon.”_

_With that, you were on your way over to Frankie’s smaller apartment. There wasn’t much traffic and luckily he only lived a couple of miles away. When you arrived, you could see him sitting at the bottom of the staircase leading to his upstairs home. As soon as you stepped out of your car you could see him stand up and begin to walk towards you as he wiped his eyes._

_“Frankie…” You started, but he embraced you before you could say anything._

_And here you were thinking you were supposed to hold him when he was sad. He’d always found comfort in just having you in his arms. You were his safe place._

_“Frankie-” You tried again, but he cut you off with a breathtaking kiss. A kiss that said in itself how much he needed you. It left you speechless._

_“Y/N… I’m never leaving you again, okay? I promise. From now on, it’s you and me… Always.”_

_You were confused as to what he meant, until it clicked in your head._

_“Frankie… are you saying what I think you’re saying?” You tried to hide your smile._

_“I’m moving in, baby. As long as you’re in.” He smiled softly._

_“Francisco Morales, I have never been more in with anybody in my life… I love you so much.” You confessed, leaning into his chest as he wrapped his arms around you._

_“God, I don’t deserve you, Y/N. I love you.” He pressed a kiss to your forehead._

_I know, you’d thought to yourself. You’d never been so sure of someone’s love before. There was no one like your Frankie._

_-_

_“Babe! Come look at this!” Frankie shouted from where he was cleaning out his small desk area a week later, getting ready for the move._

_You walked over and began to laugh as you saw the small polaroid in his hands. Pope had taken it during the infamous camping trip and Frankie had lost it the second he had gotten home. And now, years later, there it was. It made your heart jump to see the picture after all this time, the two of you had grown so much._

_“You should keep it, baby. It’s safer with you.” He said, holding out for you to take._

_“Frankie… It’s yours.” You reminded him._

_“I kept it so I’d have you with me when I was away, but I’m not going anywhere, baby. Not anymore. I’m in it with you now, til the end. You have my word.” He promised._

_Your eyes began to water and all you wanted to do was hold him. Hold your Frankie close and never let him go. He could sense your tears and pulled you into his arms, one hand resting on the back of your head._

_“Why are you crying, sweetheart?” He asked you, gently releasing you from his embrace._

_“I don’t know… I just- I never want to lose you, Frankie. You’re my Frankie. I never want anyone else to have you… ever.” You admitted._

_“Lucky for you… No one else deserves me like you do.” His arms were cupping your cheeks now._

_“You’re it for me, you know? This is it.” He gestured between the two of you._

_“Yeah… me too.” You told him before leaning in for a kiss._

_You were sure you’d never get enough of him._

_-_

_“Frankie! I’ve had enough of you! Get off the couch and come help me in the kitchen! This is your apartment we’re packing up after all!” You jokingly complained._

_You really just missed his company._

_“My back hurts!” He complained._

_“My everything hurts from last night but you don’t see me complaining!” You cleverly retorted._

_Suddenly, you saw his form sit up on the couch and shoot a glare in your direction. All you could do was laugh. Before you knew it, he was back to laying down. You groaned quietly in frustration._

_“Well, these IKEA plates sure look old… I think I’m gonna toss ‘em.” You started to say._

_“No! Babe! Leave my plates alone!” He appeared in the kitchen before you could even reach for the plates yourself._

_You laughed at him once again and he just pouted._

_“You’re an ass.” He joked as he packed away the plates into one of the fragile boxes._

_“And you love me for it.” You said before kissing his cheek, making an obnoxious sound as you did._

_“No… I love you because of it. Can you imagine where we’d be if you hadn’t forgiven me on that camping trip? May I add, where I did absolutely nothing wrong…” He began to slowly creep out of the kitchen before you could react._

_“You’re on thin ice, Morales! You’re gonna be stuck here packing all this by yourself if you keep it up.” You bluffed._

_“Oh yeah?” He said, rushing back into the kitchen and throwing you over his shoulder, carrying you to the living room where he’d previously been seated._

_You kicked your feet in the air and squealed as he carried you to the couch and dropped you in his seat. You both laughed until you were out of breath, and then he spoke again._

_“You know, Y/N, maybe I did do something wrong on that trip…” He admitted boldly._

_“Yeah?” You asked, surprised._

_“Yeah… I didn’t let you finish telling me how amazing I am and just how much you love me!” He laughed._

_You crossed your arms in fake frustration and shook your head at his humor._

_“It was the alcohol talking anyways…Who knows how much of it was true.”_

_And there was your beloved Frankie’s pout again._


	6. Sunday Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader reminisces about Sunday mornings with Frankie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: Italics in this story signify memories, they are not in present time.
> 
> Also available on Tumblr, here. https://flyingovertheandes.tumblr.com/post/627766248841805824/masterlist  
> Tumblr: flyingovertheandes

You were only about a mile away from your shared home by now and it was starting to hit you what you were about to go home to. You knew the house would probably be a wreck, just like Frankie. You knew he’d probably be holed up in your bedroom wearing a shirt he’s been wearing for a week, his hair matted, scruff unshaved. You thought it was better if he didn’t know you were coming. After your last conversation, you knew he probably wasn’t in great shape...And as scared as you were to see him, you couldn’t wait to be back in his arms. You missed waking up next to him and holding him as you fell asleep every night. You missed mornings with him the most.  _ Sunday Mornings _ . When neither of you had to work and you could slowly wake each other up with kisses and light touches… It was the best day of the week, easily. You just wanted to get back to that, no matter what it took. You wanted to help him be okay again. 

_ You had woken up to an empty left side of the bed this morning, which wasn’t uncommon for Sunday mornings, except it was a lot earlier than Frankie usually woke up. The room was only dimly lit by the light pouring in from the hallway. You made your way out of bed to investigate when you heard a loud thump from the garage. Your sudden wave of fear and adrenaline caused you to rush through the laundry room and into the garage where you found Frankie dusting off the back of his sweatpants. _

_ “Frankie? Baby, what are you doing?” You asked, only slightly out of breath.  _

_ “Y/N… Shit. Sorry for waking you up, baby… It was meant to be a surprise.”  _

_ You laughed quietly. “You didn’t wake me, Frankie. I’m just wondering what you’re doing in our garage at… what time is it?” You asked.  _

_ “Four...thirty.” He answered sheepishly.  _

_ You walked closer to him and held his face in your hands.  _

_ “Whatever it is you’re doing at four in the morning… can wait. Come back to bed.” You gave him a small kiss.  _

_ “Actually...It can’t. We’re going on a trip.” He told you. _

_ “At four in the morning?!? Francisco Morales, I hate to say it, but baby you are out of your mind!” You giggled as you began walking back towards the laundry room, pulling at his hand so he’d follow you.  _

_ “Hey!” He stopped you and turned you around before speaking again. “Just please, trust me... Pack your bags and I promise you it’ll be worth it.” He smiled before kissing your forehead.  _

_ You couldn’t resist his smile.  _

_ “Okay...fine. But we’re stopping for breakfast! You owe me strawberry waffles for waking me up this early.” You informed him.  _

_ “I thought you said I didn’t wake you up?” He asked, laughing.  _

_ You shrugged over dramatically before making your way back inside, Frankie close behind you. _

_ \-  _

_ “What do I need to pack? Where are we going?” You were both in your bedroom now, packing your respective bags.  _

_ “Uh.. leggings? Boots? Oh!! A sweatshirt, maybe? And some extra changes of clothes…” He told you before continuing his chaotic search for an article of clothing he couldn’t find. _

_ You laughed at how all over the place he was. _

_ “Okay… Is there anything else that I should pack for both of us?” You asked, wanting to be helpful and lessen his stress.  _

_ “Baby… I will pack what needs to be packed. I have it handled, I promise you.” He reassured you.  _

_ You smiled and put your trust in him. You knew wherever you were going, even if he forgot something, he’d always find a solution. _

_ \-  _

_ That was how your morning had started. Bright and early, packing a bag for an unknown destination. But now you found yourself on a familiar stretch of road, heading towards the mountain that started it all.  _

_ “Frankie… Are we going where I think we’re going?” You questioned, poking his arm. _

_ “Depends… Where do you think we’re headed, baby?” He smirked. _

_ “Are we going back to Blue River? The campgrounds?” You said excitedly. _

_ “Maybe…” He looked at you and reached over to hold your cheek in his hand, tracing his thumb up and down. _

_ “Frankie! Why didn’t you tell me? I could’ve helped you pack everything we need! How long are we going to be there?” You asked, skeptical of whether he had thought this all through. _

_ As much as you trusted him, you knew he was prone to forget the most important things you needed to survive a camping trip. _

_ “Baby! Relax… We’re just going for tonight and I promised you I would pack everything we needed, didn’t I? I never break a promise!” He argued. _

_ “Intentionally…” You joked. _

_ “Hey!” He laughed and smacked your arm lightly. _

_ Your head fell back as you laughed with him. _

_ “Baby! Look! Recognize anything?” He smiled and pointed out the window. _

_ As you looked out the window, you recognized the small motel where the two of you had stayed the day Frankie’s truck broke down. _

_ “Aww, Frankie! We should stay there again sometime! Just for fun.” You looked back at him, shooting him a quick wink. _

_ “Yeah? You wanna stay there tonight, baby?” He asked. _

_ “No! You have our camping trip planned, we can make the trip some other time.” You promised.  _

_ He gave you a questioned look and before you knew it, he was taking the exit to circle back around to the motel. _

_ “Frankie!” You squealed as you smacked his arm. _

_ “What? It’ll be an adventure!” He shrugged and smiled at you. _

_ There was that smile again. _

_ - _

_ As you walked into the motel, a familiar face greeted you. _

_ “Hello! How can I help you two?” She asked kindly. _

_ Confidently holding your hand in his, Frankie asked her for a single room with the biggest bed they had to offer. Luckily, it was summer so there weren’t many travelers this way and they were mostly vacant. _

_ “Of course!” Said the older woman, checking you in. _

_ You walked past the original room where it all started. _

_ “I think… I love you.” You remembered saying. _

_ Back when those words had never been spoken between you. _

_ Luckily… nobody brought alcohol this time… _

_ Upon entering your room, the two of you immediately flopped down on the bed and laughed at how far you’d come. Neither of you wouldn’t change a thing. After a while of comfortable silence, Frankie spoke up. _

_ “Y/N?” Frankie asked for your attention. _

_ “Frankie?” You returned. _

_ “Will you marry me, baby?” He lifted himself up onto his elbow so he could see your face. _

_ Your eyes quickly found his in disbelief. _

_ “What? Are you- are you serious?” Your eyes began to water. _

_ “I’ve never been more serious in my life, baby. Marry me.” He said, sitting up now and guiding you to sit up with him. _

_ “Of course. I-Yes! I’ll marry you.” You smiled bigger than you thought you ever had before. _

_ He did the same before pulling you into a passionate kiss full of love and history. _

_ He was going to be your Frankie, forever. _


	7. Best Years

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: Italics in this story signify memories, they are not in present time.
> 
> Also available on Tumblr, here. https://flyingovertheandes.tumblr.com/post/627766248841805824/masterlist  
> Tumblr: flyingovertheandes

_The two of you had decided to elope about two months into your engagement. Although it broke Pope’s heart, it felt right to just be the two of you, together. But when the day came, Frankie was a nervous wreck. **  
**_

_“Baby… Why are you so nervous? It’s just gonna be us.” You kissed his forehead as he sat at the dining table anxiously drinking his coffee and bouncing his leg._

_“I don’t know, baby. I just can’t believe someone as good as you is marrying someone like me…” He admitted quietly._

_“Frankie… You know that I think you’re amazing. I know you’re amazing. You’re the greatest man I’ve ever met and I promise you I would never want to marry anyone else. You’re mine, okay? Forever. With or without the papers today.” You smiled sweetly, tucking some of his longer hair behind his ear._

_“Yeah?” He asked, giving a small confident smile._

_“Yeah. You’re it for me, remember?” You reminded him, knowing it would bring a smile to his face._

_“Yeah. I do.”_

_“Frankie! You’re not supposed to say that yet! Even if it’s in a completely different context!” You smacked his shoulder._

_He laughed as he stood up and gave a genuine smile._

_“I’m sorry, baby. I’ll wait for the right time to say it next time.” He smiled, kissing you._

_“There better be a next time, Morales!” You joked._

_“Oh there will be, future Mr./Mrs. Morales.” He held you close._

_-_

_“Do you Y/N Y/L/N take Francisco Morales to be your lawfully wedded partner, to love and respect, and to be loyal to from this day forth?”_

_“I do.” You felt your heart jump as you locked eyes with Frankie._

_“Do you Francisco Morales take Y/N Y/L/N to be your lawfully wedded partner, to love and respect, and to be loyal to from this day forth?”_

_He looked down as he held your hands in his, running his thumb up and down. He took a deep breath before looking into your eyes once more._

_“I do. Always.”_

_You laughed quietly, mostly out of happiness. You were on cloud nine. Today you were marrying the love of your life. The man who had made your life everything you ever wanted it to be. Your person. Your Frankie. You couldn’t be happier._

_“Do you wish to share your vows with each other?”_

_Frankie nodded as he squeezed your hand in his._

_“Y/N… I don’t know where I’d be without you. You came into my life and it has never been the same. No one has ever measured up to you. I’m the luckiest man in the world and I don’t know what I ever did to deserve you, but I hope my luck never runs out. You saved me, Y/N… And not just from myself… but from everything life has thrown at me. At us. I only ever want you, baby. I’ll love you for as long as you’ll have me…” He paused._

_“You mean everything to me. I love you.” He finished._

_“Frankie…” You cried before starting your own vows._

_“My Frankie… You have given me the best years of my life. Without you, I’d be someone I don’t even want to imagine. I am forever thankful to have crossed paths with you and had the honor to be loved by you. You love me like no one has ever loved me before. I can’t imagine not being loved by you. I can’t imagine a world where I don’t love you just as much… We’re meant for each other, Frankie. And I am so happy that I get to spend the rest of my life with you, baby. I love you so much.” You wiped a stray tear on your cheek as Frankie did the same._

_You both smiled as you looked back to the officiant, ready to be married._

_He smiled at the two of you before speaking.“Having witnessed your vows, it is my honor now to pronounce you to be officially married! Congratulations!”_

_The happiness you felt in your heart was indescribable. Frankie was yours now. You were going to be with him for the rest of your life, and you couldn’t wait._

_“Come here, baby.” Frankie pulled you in for a long kiss._

_You were in love, you always had been. And now, you finally got to start the next chapter of your life as a part of the Morales family._

_-_

_Only weeks later you had gone to dinner with Frankie’s family, which was a rarity. Morales family events were usually closed off to people who weren’t blood relatives, but they insisted you come along. It had been halfway through dinner when his younger niece asked the question everyone was thinking._

_“Do you guys want kids yet? I want a baby cousin!”_

_Frankie smiled shyly, knowing how you felt about the topic._

_You had decided maybe one day, down the road, the two of you would be ready to be parents. But for now, you just wanted each other. At least, the last time Frankie checked._

_-_

_“Frankie? Baby?” You ran your hand over his back as he drifted to sleep that night._

_“Yeah?” He mumbled, sleep heavy in his voice._

_“I think… I’m ready.” You admitted._

_He turned to face you, confused._

_“Ready?” He questioned._

_“For kids… with you.”_

_He sat up, surprised and overjoyed._

_He had a feeling that his niece had gotten to you._

_“Yeah? Are you sure, baby?” He asked, smiling hopefully._

_“Yeah.”_

_No matter how long the process took, you were ready for a Morales baby. As long as you had Frankie by your side, you were ready for anything._


	8. Exile

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: Italics in this story signify memories, they are not in present time.
> 
> Also available on Tumblr, here. https://flyingovertheandes.tumblr.com/post/627766248841805824/masterlist  
> Tumblr: flyingovertheandes

You didn’t remember how you got home. You remembered the drive, but you had no idea when you had finally pulled into your driveway or how long you had been there. Frankie’s truck was next to you, dusty like he hadn’t washed it since you left… You knew without your support he had probably stopped existing in his own head. You had to make things right. You had to get your Frankie back. **  
**

As you walked up to the house, you nervously searched for the key that had gone unused for longer than ever, and made your way inside. The house was… spotless, you were in shock. It’d never been this clean.

“Frankie?” You called out.

No response.

“Frankie!” You shouted a little bit louder, still no response.

You flopped down on the couch and put your head in your hands.

Seconds later you heard footsteps. You looked back to see him walking down the stairs, looking better than ever. His hair was combed perfectly, he was dressed nicer than you’d seen him in a long time, and he looked… peaceful. He was glowing.

“…Frankie?” You asked, hoping to finally get his attention.

“Y/N… what- what are you doing here? You shouldn’t be here…” He ran to you, panicked.

He held your face in his hands.

“Are you real? Are you really here, mi amor/my love?” He moved his hands down to your arms.

“Are you high, Frankie?” You asked him, confused at his reaction to your presence.

“What? No. Baby- I- I’m not-” He stopped and looked away, pain in his eyes.

“I’m not alive anymore, baby. I overdosed. But you- you’re here too… That means you aren’t alive either. Unless you’re just in my imagination.” He explained, running his hand through his hair.

“Frankie… wh-what are you talking about? Please… tell me you aren’t still using.” You begged.

“Baby… I’m not. I’m… dead.” He tried again, looking you in the eyes.

You felt them stinging and your throat hurt from holding back the tears threatening to spill.

“No… no. I’m dreaming. This isn’t real… you… you aren’t real, Frankie.” You cried, wishing you could wake up from this nightmare.

He pulled you into his chest as tears ran down your cheeks. You were shaking, but you could feel him. He was real. You were real. This had to be real.

He pulled away from you and held your hands in his.

“Y/N… before you came here, did you remember things? Memories you wouldn’t usually remember out of the blue?” He asked.

“What?” You said, your voice quiet.

“Did it feel like you were reliving important days in your life?” He asked, curious.

“I- yeah. I saw all of our days together. The camping trip, our engagement, the fight… it all seemed so real…” You explained.

“That’s what happens. When you die, you- you relive the eight most important days of your life with the last person you were thinking about.”

“What…? No, I- I was driving home, I was coming home to you, Frankie. I- This isn’t happening. This is a joke.” You argued.

“A joke? Seriously, Y/N? Why would I-” You interrupted him.

“Why would you lie? I don’t know, Frankie! I thought you never lied! First the coke and now this? Some sick joke?” You were furious.

“Y/N…Please…”

“No… I can’t- I can’t believe I thought it was safe to come home again! Fuck this, Frankie. Fuck you.” You began to storm towards the door.

“Y/N! Wait!” Frankie shouted in an attempt to stop you.

But you opened the door to leave anyway. Except… there was nothing on the other side. Just white. No sky, no houses, no cars, no color. It was like an empty canvas. You began to sob, reality hitting you. This was real. You were dead. Frankie was dead.

You turned around to go back inside and faced Frankie himself.

“Why didn’t you call me, Frankie? If all of this is real…why didn’t you ask me for help?” You choked out. 

You couldn’t believe what you were saying.

“I did, baby! I called you! …You were the one that left me! Who wouldn’t take my calls! What was I supposed to do?” He raised his voice.

“What were you supposed to do? Fucking anything! Anything but this!” You matched his raised voice.

“So you’re saying you wish I wasn’t here? That you were alone? Figuring this out alone? Fucking have at it. If you want to be alone, I’ll leave you alone. Just don’t say I never tried. I did everything for you, Y/N. Everything! You were my whole life! And in the end, losing you is what killed me. So really… it’s your fault that I’m here, not mine.” He admitted angrily before turning around and heading back towards the stairs.

He stopped and turned around to face you again. “I loved you, Y/N, even when you were bad. And you still left me when I needed you… I don’t know what else you could possibly want from me…” He let a tear fall down his cheek.

You felt your heart split in two. You had never meant to leave him the way you did. You never meant for it to end this way.

“You never told me…” You said to him as you wiped the tears from your eyes.

“What?” He was confused.

“You never told me what eight days you re-lived…” You reminded him.

He ran his hand over his face and put his hands on his hips.

He then shook his head as he sighed. “Same ones as you, baby… all the same ones.”


	9. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: Italics in this story signify memories, they are not in present time.
> 
> Also available on Tumblr, here. https://flyingovertheandes.tumblr.com/post/627766248841805824/masterlist  
> Tumblr: flyingovertheandes
> 
> A/N: This is the end! I am so grateful for everyone’s support on this series. It means so much to be able to bring this version of Frankie to life. I hope you have all enjoyed the ride. Please let me know if you’d be interested in more chapters of Frankie/Ris’s past! I’m somewhat considering a prequel-type follow up, but I want to know if that’s something you all want! Thank you again for reading. I love you all. <3

“Same ones as you, baby… all the same ones.” He lied. **  
**

He hated to lie to you, but what else was he supposed to do? Admit to you that he was reliving the eight most important days he’d spent with Ris? He never meant for her to be the last person he thought about before he died. He was just so angry at her… He blamed her for everything. She always managed to get him using again. Every single relapse could be traced back to her and her manipulation. And he hated her. He wanted her dead. In his final moments, that’s all he wished for. For her to be put through the same betrayal and hurt that she had caused him.

-

_“Ris? Is that you under all that makeup?” Frankie joked as he slid between bodies to get close to her._

_“Morales! Back for more, already? She half-smirked._

_He laughed dryly._

_“Actually, uhm- no. I was hoping you’d buy everything I have left off of me. I don’t want it anymore. I- I’m quitting.” He said, speaking somewhat loudly so she could hear him over the loud music in the small club._

_“Are you kidding? Fuck that! You aren’t leaving here tonight until your little bag is empty, my friend.” She smiled._

_“Ris… I-” He tried._

_“C’mon, baby! Have a little fun! When’s the last time you got high?” She questioned._

_“I don’t know…” He lied._

_“Frankie! I know a liar when I see one! How long has it been?” She pried._

_“A couple of months… okay? I’ve just been going through some stuff… Y/N…They- uhm- left me…” He admitted to his long time friend._

_“Y/N? God, you still waste your time with them? Frankie! Forget about them! Tonight… you are going to have fun. I am going to remind you exactly what it’s like to have a good time.” Ris promised him._

_His mouth felt dry as the anticipation lingered in the air. He knew there was no way out of this one._

_-_

_Five lines later and he couldn’t remember how he had gotten to the club… Or how the two of them had gotten home for that matter. All he knew was that his lips were on hers in a mess of kisses as they began stripping each other in the dimly lit living room._

_“Ris…” Frankie tried in between kisses._

_“Shh, baby. Let me take care of you…” She kissed his neck and he groaned softly._

_He knew he may not completely remember everything that was about to happen, but he knew it was going to change everything_.


End file.
